8 Best Leadership Conferences in 2025
Leadership requires constant growth and evolution. A leadership conference, with its networking, speakers, and breakout sessions, offers one of the best ways to learn, meet peers, and return to work motivated to enact change.
Here's a list of some of the top leadership conferences occurring in the next year.
1. Workhuman® Live Gaylord Rockies 2025
Workhuman® LiveOpens in a new tab is more than just a conference; it’s an experience designed to transform workplace cultures and empower people-focused leaders. This vibrant event brings together top HR professionals, industry leaders, and world-renowned speakers for four days of inspiration, learning, and connection.
Date: May 5-8, 2025
Location: Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Aurora, CO
Pricing: Early-bird pricing of $1595 available until January 12, 2025
Why attend:
This year's speaker lineup includes keynotes from Adam Grant and Erin Meyer, but no matter who is speaking, you’re guaranteed to leave with fresh perspectives on leadership, resilience, and creating a thriving workplace culture. Workhuman Live focuses on practical, science-backed approaches that can immediately impact how you lead.
Dive into interactive sessions covering various topics and best practices, from diversity and inclusion to employee wellbeing, recognition strategies, and human-centered technology. These hands-on workshops equip you with actionable insights and tools to bring back to your organization and implement right away.
Connect with professionals and peers who share a passion for redefining workplace dynamics. From collaborative breakouts to informal meet-and-greet sessions, Workhuman Live offers a community-driven environment where you can make lasting professional connections and gain new insights from other HR leaders.
2. EY’s Strategic Growth Forum
Date: November 13-16, 2025
Location: Palm Springs, CA
Pricing: TBD
Why attend:
The Ernst and Young Strategic Growth Forum is a great event for executives and entrepreneurs aiming to scale their businesses and drive growth. This annual gathering attracts influential CEOs, high-growth entrepreneurs, and C-suite executives across various industries, offering a platform to exchange ideas, network, and explore potential collaborations.
The conference culminates in the Entrepreneur Of The Year US National Awards celebration, honoring the nation’s top entrepreneurs and providing a platform to hear inspiring success stories from industry game-changers. This event is not just about networking—it's about immersing oneself in the entrepreneurial spirit and experiences that provide a glimpse into the future of business.
3. Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo
Date: October 27 – 29, 2025
Location: Orlando, FL
Pricing: TBD
Why attend:
The global team of Gartner experts helps you create and validate your HR strategy using insights based on proprietary research and tools.
With a focus on leader and manager effectiveness, attendees of the Gartner HR Symposium/XpoOpens in a new tab can identify and develop leadership skills across the business to build a human-centric workplace culture. They will also learn to leverage HR trends and technologies to unlock new levels of innovation and productivity for their organization, better integrate DEI initiatives across the business, hold leadership accountable for outcomes, and drive organizational growth.
4. SHRM Women in Leadership Institute™ (WIL)
Date: Sept. 28 - Oct. 1, 2025
Location: San Diego and virtual
Pricing: Virtual pricing starts at $395, in-person pricing starts at $3,695
Why attend:
The SHRM Women in Leadership Institute™ (WIL)Opens in a new tab centers around challenges women leaders commonly face in their roles and how to best navigate them. This leadership summit development opportunity accelerates the advancement of women leaders across all levels, industries, and roles. It also provides networking opportunities and scalable impact for organizations embracing gender equity.
5. SXSW
Date: March 7-15, 2025
Location: Austin, TX
Pricing: Starting at $730
Why attend:
Known for its creative convergence, SXSW offers a blend of media, tech, and business, which is ideal for business owners and those pursuing entrepreneurship. The SXSW Workplace trackOpens in a new tab is tailored for forward-thinking companies and HR leaders and focuses on transforming modern work culture.
Attendees can expect to:
- Gain fresh perspectives on the evolving workplace from experts and thought leaders.
- Participate in open, thought-provoking sessions on topics like employee wellbeing and diversity.
- Discover innovations and strategies to increase productivity and create an inclusive workplace.
6. Great Place to Work for All Summit
Date: April 8-10, 2025
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Pricing: Starting at $1895
Why attend:
The Great Place to Work for All Opens in a new tabSummit Opens in a new tabfocuses on building trust in the workplace, diversity, and employee wellbeing, offering value for leaders committed to fostering positive, high-trust cultures. Attendees will learn actionable strategies for building a thriving, inclusive workplace that empowers employees, hear from top HR and business leaders who share approaches to developing people-focused workplaces that fuel growth and resilience, and connect with forward-thinking leaders and professionals focused on improving workplaces.
7. Global Women in Leadership
Dates: May 29-30, 2025
Location: New York, New York
Price: $1,499
Why attend:
This global leadership summit features a panel of powerful women in leadership worldwide. On top of the panel, helpful sessions for women at all stages of career development focus on the timely topics of advocacy and social change through effective leadership
8. The Global Boardroom
Date: December 4-6, 2024
Location: Virtual
Pricing: Free with additional access available for $299
Why attend:
The Global BoardroomOpens in a new tab is a digital conference hosted by the Financial Times. It brings together leaders from business, finance, and government to navigate global challenges and chart a path forward for industries worldwide.
Attendees can also expect to:
- Hear directly from policymakers and leaders on driving economic and business growth.
- Explore pressing issues like geopolitical disruption, AI innovation, and climate action.
- Access in-depth discussions and strategies from the comfort of your home or office.
See also: 10 Best Business Conferences
FAQs
Why attend a leadership conference?
Leadership conferences can greatly strengthen leadership abilities, develop workplace strategies, and learn and network with peers.
How can you maximize your conference experience?
Preparing before the conference, engaging during the conference, and following up afterward will maximize your experience. To make the most of your conference experience, you can:
- Study the agenda to prioritize sessions relevant to your goals.
- Participate in Q&As and network with fellow attendees.
- Connect with contacts post-event and leverage any available conference materials.
Conclusion
Events are a great way to learn, network, and develop effective workplace strategies. From A-list speakers to interactive workshops, decision-makers can share their insights and explore new perspectives that can advance the future of work.